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The Dieppe Kite Festival is LEGEN – wait for it – DARY!

The Flying Squad have been visitors to the festival for a number of years and look forward to returning with eager anticipation. ¬†This year was no different. ¬†The festival is on an epic scale and too big to cover all of it here so we will just tell you about the sport kite flying at the the Chateau end of the field.

The Flying Squad were asked to be involved with the opportunity to “reveal the wind charmer in you”
The Creative Arts Group commissioned a wind structure to capture the wind on the day.

Gradually over several hours from early morning until lunch time it gradually took shape.

Wishes and messages were gathered and attached.

The wind charmers gathered around ready for the kite to go into the Wind.

After two short flights it was felt the wind capturing of the kite was actually making it not fly as well as it might. So the kite was split into 3 parts and flown aloft by Serpent Kites, and all wishes were sent into the wind.

On the same weekend that the politics of the continent were being fought out in the annual Eurovision competition, Rev flyers from across Europe demonstrated their ability to cooperate in a truly international mega-team at the Ostend International Kite Festival. ¬†Representatives from England, Wales, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland and Spain braved strong winds and stinging sand to show off their skills to the even braver audience. ¬†Not only did we need excellent flying skills we also needed to be able to quickly process calls being given in at least 4 languages! ¬†Congratulations to Stephen (The Flying Squad) and Marc (Air4ce) for keeping us in order.

Eight Nations Mega-Team
(photo: Ivo van Olmen)

Look at all those happy faces
(photo: Marcel Noortman)

2-digit read-out has its limits

The wind was not kind to the festival, showing that you can have too much of a good thing; blasting us with wind speeds of more than 40 kph through out the weekend and gusts of around 100 kph! ¬† We were all “blown away” by more than the wind and must thank Lien and her team of hardworking volunteers,¬†including the ever-smiling field director who weathered all that the weather threw at him.

While sheltering from some of the worst of the weather, Gee and Ryan decided to make up a kite more suited to the wind we were experiencing. ¬†It flew really well too (Ryan even got a axle out of it!).

The secret is in the knots apparently

The right kite for the right wind

Ostend is a fabulous kite festival in a stunning location and we are already looking forward to next year’s 30th Ostend LOTTO International Kite Festival.

Berck has become an annual pilgrimage for “The Squad” with this year being our 14th visit to the festival. ¬† Arriving at the Office du Tourisme is the start of another year’s adventure. ¬†The ever efficient organising team are always smiling and helpful, no matter how bad the French we use!

This year the festival was host to The World Sport Kite Championships, so along with the usual array of spectacular single line kites, we were treated to displays by the best sport kite teams in the world.

The beginning of the week saw fabulous weather with clean smooth winds blowing in off the sea. ¬†We flew our ballets in the sunshine and clean winds and had a real blast.

11am every morning saw us on the beach behind the arena practicing for the Rev mega team each afternoon. ¬†This year we were joined by teams FLIC, Loustik, Now’Air, Decorators and Air4ce and fliers from France, Germany, Russia, Belgium and USA.

Things started out normally with threads, and bursts and contra rotating circles. ¬†After that we kinda got carried away. ¬†From the esplanade the spectators were treated to giant cars, bicycles, The Eiffel Tower and Bob & Gianette – giant stick characters constructed from Revs. ¬†We really were having too much fun!

So, many thanks to all you mad, crazy, creative and trusting Rev fliers out there who helped us make such wonderful shapes in the sky and such great memories in our hearts.

What a fantastic weekend! ¬†Robert Kirsch and his team certainly know how to throw a kite party. ¬†Everyone worked hard and played hard to put on some stunning displays for the 40,000 who came to see the kites and the circus and stayed into the evening for an amazing night fly (including aliens).

Special thanks to everyone who made us so welcome and gave freely of their food, drink and good humour – we hope to see and fly with you again soon.

PS: The bol is, at 26m, the biggest in Europe and pulls enough to drag a fire truck!

The first festival of the season for The Flying Squad, RICV Berck is one of the biggest kite events you will see. ¬†Whether you count the size of the flying space, the number of spectators, the number of invited guests or the different kinds of kites flying, RICV Berck is big.¬†This year’s festival was no exception.

During this 10 day event we enjoyed the best of winds and the worst of winds. ¬†Every kite combination came out of the bag and quite often all one day! ¬†To the credit of Revolution Kites and the teams that fly them, no matter what the weather threw at us, the show went on.

There is not enough space to write a detailed report of the festival but for The Flying Squad this event was memorable for the three things. ¬†The smooth clean winds that made the routines so easy to fly, the Rev Mega Team and of course the return of our good friends Team FLIC.

The Mega Teams, both dual and quad line are an important part of the daily kite show and this year the Rev Mega team got creative. ¬†The sound of 30 grown men and women making car noises as a giant 2CV made out of kites flies across the sky is something we will never forget!

So, if you’re planning the schedule for next year and you have not yet been to Berck, do yourself a favour and add it to the list.

¬†August Bank Holiday weekend, Hampshire England. ¬†This was the 21st edition of the Portsmouth Festival that brings kites and flyer’s from all over the globe, to Southsea Common. ¬†Saturday was a day to see some great new kites but variable winds, Sunday was bright and sunny with a better wind coming in off the sea from the Isle of Wight.

The 14th & 15th July saw the first ever two day kite festival at the National Trust’s Dunstable Downs site. ¬†Saturday was wet with very light winds but Sunday was bright andsunny with lots of wind. ¬†We flew lots of routines and made a lot of noise with 6 North Shore Radicals!

This year The Flying Squad were delighted to be able to host Belgian kite designer¬†Jos Valcke¬†and his wonderful kites at the festival. ¬†Jos’s kites added a real splash of colour and an international flavour to our favourite flying site. ¬†Joined on Sunday by Sebastian¬†J√ľttemeier the sky was filled to bursting.